Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Definitely pay attention to how their CT is putting together lesson plans, even if the CT is using a general plan that he has used many times. Ask questions on how to create a week's worth of these general lesson plans. Ask the teacher to give you an outline of what he is doing for each week and what activities, handouts, worksheets he will use. This will help you when you are putting your own lesson plans together and have a general idea of what it looks like.
Try to get to know the other teachers in your subject area. They can be an added resource for lesson plans, ideas, worksheets, power point presentations and other things that can be simply different from your assigned CT but fits your own personality as a teacher. But remember to keep your CT in the loop about this by asking him to point his peers that he may find helpful.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Classroom management and crowd control.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
paid more attention to what the teacher was planning ahead of time. Seeing the CT only once a week and not seeing the planning needed to execute the class was a hard lesson to learn in January. I might ask to teach a class or classes ahead of time to get the feel for the classroom.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Do not underestimate the amount of energy and time that student teaching will require of you. Odds are that the amount of time that you think you will need for student teaching is less than what you will be really putting in. But it is fun.
Also, please regard your URI instructors as excellent resources in dealing with your CTs. Do not hesitate to bring up any issues you may be having with your CT with them, they have seen it all.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Definitely pay attention to how their CT is putting together lesson plans, even if the CT is using a general plan that he has used many times. Ask questions on how to create a week's worth of these general lesson plans. Ask the teacher to give you an outline of what he is doing for each week and what activities, handouts, worksheets he will use. This will help you when you are putting your own lesson plans together and have a general idea of what it looks like.
Try to get to know the other teachers in your subject area. They can be an added resource for lesson plans, ideas, worksheets, power point presentations and other things that can be simply different from your assigned CT but fits your own personality as a teacher. But remember to keep your CT in the loop about this by asking him to point his peers that he may find helpful.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Classroom management and crowd control.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
paid more attention to what the teacher was planning ahead of time. Seeing the CT only once a week and not seeing the planning needed to execute the class was a hard lesson to learn in January. I might ask to teach a class or classes ahead of time to get the feel for the classroom.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Do not underestimate the amount of energy and time that student teaching will require of you. Odds are that the amount of time that you think you will need for student teaching is less than what you will be really putting in. But it is fun.
Also, please regard your URI instructors as excellent resources in dealing with your CTs. Do not hesitate to bring up any issues you may be having with your CT with them, they have seen it all.